Burglary suspect bolts during arraignment in Plattekill Town Court

PLATTEKILL — A burglary suspect is now cooling his heels in the Ulster County Jail after allegedly trying to pull off a brazen escape right in the middle of his own arraignment.

Andrew Hecht, 18, went before Plattekill Town Justice Annamaria Maciocia late Friday afternoon on charges he burglarized a home on Route 32 and made off with a flat-screen TV. He also faced a drug charge for allegedly possessing some Xanax pills.

According to procedure, court officers removed his handcuffs as he faced the judge.

Then all heck broke loose.

“When judge informed him that bail was set at $500 and he was going to the Ulster County Jail, he ran from the courtroom and broke through the door, breaking the hinges,” said Plattekill police Chief Joe Ryan, who joined the pursuit for the escapee on his day off.

Hecht made a mad dash for the woods about 50 yards from the courthouse with officers in hot pursuit. According to Ryan, about 20 law enforcement officers responded to a call for assistance, including the State Police Aviation and K-9 Units and the Ulster County Sheriff's Department.

Hecht was eventually found by the New Paltz K-9 Unit and surrendered without incident. “We apprehended him in 30-40 minutes,” Ryan said.

By 7 p.m., Hecht was back in court before the same judge. This second time around, she hiked his bail to $25,000 and arraigned him on additional charges of escape, resisting arrest and criminal mischief for breaking down the courthouse door. Hecht is to be represented by a public defender, who had no immediate comment.

According to Ryan, the charges are punishable by up to 10 years behind bars. Hecht was only recently paroled after serving two years in prison for a burglary conviction.

“This guy created a real mess and it was good those officers from the surrounding towns worked together for a successful conclusion without anybody getting hurt,” Ryan said.